Flier of the Week: Andrea Ball at hi-dive

As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Looking at the image on this week’s top flier, we can’t help but agree. There’s a story there, it’s worth at least a thousand words and three of them have to be WTF? The Buddha-bellied, dog-eared, blank-eyed demon is…

This Just In: Boombox added to Westword Music Showcase lineup

All right, just when you thought this year’s Showcase couldn’t get any better, it just did. Adding to an already stacked lineup (one of our best yet, even if we do say so ourselves) that includes Ghostland Observatory, Superchunk, Dirty Projectors, Neon Indian, Single File and Oh My Stars, Boombox…

Jay-Z at the Pepsi Center, 3/22/10

JAY-Z @ PEPSI CENTER | 3/22/10 Jay-Z is one of the few performers that truly is larger than life. Dude has an undeniably commanding presence on stage. From the opening cut, “Run This Town,” until the fittingly titled “Encore,” which he closed out the show with nearly two hours later,…

WOXY.com suspends live broadcasts as of today

Man, rock and roll really is dying, isn’t it? Or at the future of it is. Just received some rather disheartening news that the almighty WOXY.com, the finest station this side of KEXP, has suspended its live broadcasts indefinitely as of today due to a lack of funding. Besides the…

Second Endpoint reunion show announced

You might not recognize former Denverite Duncan Barlow (d.biddle), with his baby face in the video above, but the d.biddle frontman was once a young, restless, youthful guitarist in the rather remarkable hardcore group called Endpoint. The band broke up in 1994, and Duncan moved to Denver sometime after. Despite…

Five things to consider when naming your band

So, you’re starting a band, huh? Well, good for you. We hope you’re enjoying our “Making the Band” series and finding the tips on the practical aspects of bandmanship useful. As a companion, let us offer some advice on something far, far more important that practicing, recording a demo, or…

Make the band: how to record your demo cheap

Last week we looked at how to find or build a place to practice with your new band. This week, we’re going to look at how to record a cheap demo to take around to promoters and venues so you can get your first show. Keep in mind, we’re really…

Vampire Weekend at the Ogden: Shake it, white boy

Vampire Weekend • The Blow 03.19.10 | The Ogden Theatre A lot of people accuse Vampire Weekend of not being original. “It’s Paul Simon but smirkier,” they say, or: “It’s Afro-pop but whiter.” And maybe it is those things. But you know what we’re willing to bet no Afro-pop band,…

SXSW 2010: Matt Morris reflects on his time in Austin

Bleary eyed and endlessly fatigued, we caught up with the always gracious Matt Morris at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Sunday morning just before boarding a plane back to the Mile High City. Over breakfast tacos, Morris reflected on his very first South By Southwest experience, from the challenges of…

FoCoMX tickets on sale now

Festival season is fast approaching, and the Fort Collins Music Experiment kicks things off locally three weeks from today. FoCoMX debuted last year by featuring most of Northern Colorado’s considerable musical talent. This year, they’re 50% bigger, which means over 150 bands, which is just ridiculous. The full lineup won’t…

Freeloader, SXSW edition: Download free tracks from Denver’s finest

Fuck what you’ve heard. We’ve got the the best day parties at SXSW today. Period. Hands down. We’ve seen New Music Tipsheet’s free list. Granted, we’re a little biased, but still, personal investments aside, have you seen the line-up? XX! Superchunk! The Pains of Being Pure At Heart! Surfer Blood!…

Will cutting the prices of CDs get you back into stores?

Yesterday Universal announced that it’s cutting the its base CD prices from the average $12-$16 to an astonishingly low $6-$10. It’s good news for those of you still buying CDs regularly, but what exactly does it mean for the rest of us and why are they even bothering at this…

SXSW 2010: Fucked Up embodies its name at the Fader Fort

Fucked Up | Fader Fort | 03.18.10 You’ve seen this before. At least a thousand times. And better. Probably much better. With far more blood. Still every time you witness a reckless, unpredictable frontman like Damian Abraham, it’s exhilarating. Doesn’t matter who you are. Every. Single. Fucking. Time. Guaranteed. Even…

SXSW: Bocumast Records Day Party takes over Union Park

Married In Berdichev • Hunter Dragon • Tim Pourbaix Bocumast Records Day Party | Union Park “I can drink all day here, and it’s socially acceptable,” utters Tim Pourbaix, as he takes a sip of his brew in between songs during his brief set at the Bocumast Records day party…

Last Night: St. Patrick’s Day Debauchery

The dust is settling on the drunkest holiday of the year. And today you have a choice: you can relive with exactly 100 of the night’s best photos spread over three slideshows, or you can work. Aaron Thackeray was there for Kegs and Eggs at Lodo’s and still found time…

Pentagram at the Marquis: “It’s more like Penta-jam”

Pentagram • Space in Time • Kingdom of Magic 03.17.10 | Marquis Theatre A night of exceptionally interesting hard rock that ended with ’70s metal legends Pentagram began with the new-look Space in Time. They were surprisingly confident and assured. The band’s new singer, Mike, sounded like a young Ozzy…

St. Patrick’s Day on the streets of Denver

If you can read these words on your computer screen today, you have shamed St. Patrick. Also, you were probably not anywhere near Colfax last night. Fortunately for you, that is exactly where a pad of paper and I were, so we bring you an after-the-fact-live blog. Or a tape-delayed…